Lizaveta had always found her father's laboratory a mysterious and frightening place. The shelves full of glass flasks, the ancient books with moldy pages and the smell of chemicals created an atmosphere of a forbidden world where she was forbidden to enter. However, one day, when her father went to another city to buy rare ingredients, curiosity won out and Lisa ventured into the forbidden zone.
In the depths of the laboratory, she found a mysterious vial of clear liquid with only one word on it - "eternity". Lizaveta knew that her father, a great alchemist, had endeavored for many years to create an elixir of immortality, but had not had time to complete his research. Without thinking long, however, she decided to drink it, believing it would give her a power that no one else in the world had.
The first sensation was strange - an icy rush ran through her veins, as if time had stopped. Glancing down at her hands, she noticed that her skin had taken on an unnaturally pale hue and her heart seemed to freeze. At that moment she did not yet realize that her life would now change forever.
The days passed, but Lizaveta soon realized that she was no longer aging, no longer feeling pain, cold or hunger. She had become immortal, but this immortality proved to be a curse. She could not die, but she could no longer live a full life either. Her body continued to exist, but her soul seemed to be frozen in time. Lizaveta felt like a prisoner of her own immortality.
Father returned and immediately realized what had happened. He was horrified.
- You weren't supposed to drink it! - He shrieked, dropping to his knees in front of his daughter. - It is not a completed elixir. I never intended to use it!"
It turned out that the alchemist was aware of the flaws in his recipe. The elixir gave eternal life, but deprived one of the ability to experience simple joys such as sleep, the taste of food, and the warmth of fire. Lizaveta was now a creature frozen between life and death, and the only thing that frightened her most was the realization that she would remain forever imprisoned in her body.
Lizaveta now saw the only way out - to find a way to regain her mortality. She realized that her father, despite his knowledge, would not be able to help, for it was he who had created the elixir. Her path lay to the dark corners of the magical world, to the powers her father feared and avoided. Lizaveta began to seek out those who wield forbidden magic, hoping to break her curse.
One day she learned of ancient spirits that dwelled in places where reality mingled with the otherworld. It was said that these spirits could bring back mortality, but for their help one must pay not only with one's life, but also with one's soul. Lizaveta was ready to do anything to get rid of eternal existence.
She went on a journey to these spirits, and after a long search she found them in an ancient forest, hidden from the eyes of people. The spirits offered her a deal: they would give her back her ability to die, but in return they would take her essence, her memories, and her very soul. Lizaveta stood at a crossroads - she had to decide what was more important: the chance to become mortal again or to keep her self.
The choice was hard, but she knew that eternal life without a soul was no life. Lizaveta made her decision and whispered her assent.